Which is worse on game creators: buying a used
game or illegally pirating a game

From: keyblade_lord | Posted: 11/11/2012 4:58:35 PM They're equally bad, the creators don't get money either way. I admit I pirate games to play them on my emulator, but only after I have already purchased them legally so I think that justifies it. I only buy second-hand games from my friends, and even then it is rarely. I prefer having new games.

A used game was sold new at one point in time. A pirated game could have been from a leak. At least with used games, they did get something when the game was sold originally, which is better than the 0 they get from people who download unauthorized copies.---I miss the Golden Age of gaming that died in the last few years. Yeah, we got better graphics, but it's not worth recent changes if you ask me.

Has anyone brought up the fact that without a used games market, stores like GAME, gamestop etc would lose money, be eventually forced to close, then unable to sell the game and not everyone likes online shopping, plus I like being able to walk into a shop buy a game. Pirating means that the company aren't getting money from the original sale of a game in the first place let alone anything after.

I've always liked the concept of used game stores like gamestop/funcoland/eb games etc. also. Man that great feeling I got when I walked over to the used nes/snes/genesis/playstation section to find stuff like final fantasy 3 (snes u.s.), mega 2, 4, and 5 (a huge ass deal back when the megaman collection didn't exist), xenogears, suikoden 2, landstalker, rocket knight adventures, brave fencer musashi (damn near every single one of these with their original packaging, nes games aside) back in the day...great times.---GTag:MadDogg730 PSN:lMadDogg Playin' bayonetta, dungeon fighter live, gears of war 3, tales of graces, borderlands, dust: an elysian tail.

Has anyone brought up the fact that without a used games market, stores like GAME, gamestop etc would lose money, be eventually forced to close, then unable to sell the game and not everyone likes online shopping, plus I like being able to walk into a shop buy a game. Pirating means that the company aren't getting money from the original sale of a game in the first place let alone anything after.

I've always liked the concept of used game stores like gamestop/funcoland/eb games etc. also. Man that great feeling I got when I walked over to the used nes/snes/genesis/playstation section to find stuff like final fantasy 3 (snes u.s.), mega 2, 4, and 5 (a huge ass deal back when the megaman collection didn't exist), xenogears, suikoden 2, landstalker, rocket knight adventures, brave fencer musashi (damn near every single one of these with their original packaging, nes games aside) back in the day...great times.

I am PRO selling very old games used. I am ANTI selling brand new games that just came out used for about $5-$6 less. THESE are the games actually hurting the developers.

If anything they need some laws protecting games from being sold used for at least 1 year.---WARNING: http://www.gamefaqs.com/boards/user.php?=2426382Is a very well known Troll, please do not fall for their shenanigans!

From: EdgeofDarkness | Posted: 11/11/2012 5:34:24 PM Well as it stands I would say the used game market hurts developers more that pirating since there are going to be a lot more people purchasing used games as compared to pirates.

For the sake of that argument, let's count game sharing as piracy, too. Used to be that people would game share with up to four friends on PS3 consoles. The game sharers would have the games split between 2 to 5 consoles, meaning those companies were not only cheated out of up to 80% of their sales among people who game share, but had to offer online to the people who game shared those digital titles. This added more stress to servers, which made things worse than used games since used games kept the 1:1 ratio (the title can only be in one place at a time). While game sharing has been reduced down to two systems now, I still get the feeling that there are people out there who still game share new stuff with another person, which still adds more stress to servers than used game buyers. Not as much as it once was, but it still is worse.---"Michael Vick was arrested for getting in an assault plane and shooting down other planes?" - L0Z

Illegally Pirating a Game is Worsebut first for something completely different

Here is the truth: Regardless of whether you buy new at $60 or buy used at $20NONE of THAT money will go to the developers!

This is how it works:1st: a 3rd party developer decides to make a game.2nd: developer pitches game to publisher.3rd: publisher agrees to the game and dishes out money to see the game created.4th: developer uses money for employes and to create the game. (They are done and will create more games....maybe)5th: Publisher "publishes" game by making copies.6th: Gamestop (or some other retail chain) BUYS said copies from the Publisher.7th: Some Buy the game at full price; GAMESTOP makes much profit.8th Others buy after the price goes down GAMESTOP makes some profit

The Developer has already made its money because the publisher paid them.The Publisher has already made its money because Retail stores have already paid them.Retail stores may make money IF you buy games from them.

If a game doesn't sell well then the retail store will not buy as many copies of the next game by those developers and so the publishers will not get as much money and so will be less eager to embrace the developers next game resulting in smaller "grants" to the developer or the publisher withdrawing support for the developer.

So in short buying new or used is inconsequential so long as SOMEONE is buying it.

So is Pirating. It doesn't effect the developer much as your stealing from the publisher sans the loss of revenue and a ever growing black mark on the developer(Every person who pirates a game doesn't buy it (generally) and is one less sale (it can add up) )

UNLESS the Developer is a 1st party developer (Nintendo, Sony, Microsoft) which in that case you are stealing directly from them (shame on you! ;) )

there.... case closed now let this topic die and everyone can get to more important matters.... like which Final Fantasy is the best or if Dragon Age 3 will be any good...

Technically with the used game, they already made money on it. Getting it free without paying for it however...---"Tetris: that rampant sexual symbolism, inserting a piece into a slot repeatedly, is downright vulgar. Game needs an AO rating." LGCulgan

The reason is, is you buy a game used, you are supporting someone somewhere. Be it someone that may use the money to buy another game, or paying of someone that works at gamestop, so they can feed their family.

If you pirate a game, you are not putting anything back into the system.

My 2¢

-JG

This I disagree with, I think pirates do "put money" into the system.

I believe by stealing games they would normally not buy but keeping their hobby alive. It encourages them to make bigger game buys (such as brand new prices) on games they know they will love.

Verses someone who buys used who is mostly only going to go for the "cheapest" price and keep buying used.

Meaning pirates put way more money into gaming industry then those who buy used to get a "good deal".

I am going to disagree with you here. Not every person that pirates is going to buy a game at all, let alone new.

Even if someone is only buying a game used, they are putting money into stores that will sell new games. If you pirate a game, you are not paying towards stores that will sell games.